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The First Substantive Session on a Global Pact for the Environment took place at UN Headquarters in Nairobi in January 2019. Member States deliberated on the findings of the UN Secretary-General’s report, “Gaps in international environmental law and environment-related instruments: towards a global pact for the environment” and debated the need for a new global pact for the environment”.

Nairobi, 24-01-2019 – The first-ever global assessment of environmental rule of law finds weak enforcement to be a global trend that is exacerbating environmental threats, despite prolific growth in environmental laws and agencies worldwide over the last four decades.

Despite a 38-fold increase in environmental laws put in place since 1972, failure to fully implement and enforce these laws is one of the greatest challenges to mitigating climate change, reducing pollution and preventing widespread species and habitat loss, the UN Environment report found.

BARCELONA, Jan 17 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Environmentalists in France and Ireland are pushing forward with legal cases aimed at forcing their governments to step up action on climate change, motivated by a 2018 flagship ruling that the Netherlands must cut emissions faster to keep its people safe.

At a substantive session of the United Nations’ (UN) General Assembly ad hoc working group on the Global Pact for the Environment in Nairobi, Kenya, ICC laid out its plans to work with governments to fill gaps in international environmental law.

During the last day of the first substantive session of the Ad hoc Open-Ended Working Group (AHWG), discussion focused on the agenda for the second substantive session. The Co-Chairs presented a revised agenda, including the agenda item “discussion of possible options to address possible gaps in international environmental law (IEL) and environment-related instruments.” A proposal to split this agenda item into two parts, i.e. discussion of possible gaps followed by discussion of possible options, did not reach consensus.

On Thursday, the first substantive session of the Ad hoc Open-Ended Working Group heard a brief report on the progress of deliberations this week in Nairobi. Co-Chair Francisco Duarte Lopes, Portugal, reported that many delegations had recognized the existence of gaps and challenges while others held different views, and further efforts would be needed to establish which gaps need to be addressed as part of the AHWG mandate.

The Ad hoc Open-ended Working Group (AHWG) opened on Wednesday with the observance of a minute of silence for the victims of Tuesday's suspected terrorist attack in Nairobi. The Co-Chairs led the tribute for the victims and their families, and in solidarity with the people and government of Kenya.

On the second day of the first substantive session of the Ad hoc Open-ended Working Group (AHWG) established by the UN General Assembly to consider a technical and evidence-based report by the Secretary-General (A/73/419) identifying and assessing possible gaps in international environmental law (IEL) and environment-related instruments, delegations began a chapter-by-chapter consideration of its introduction and of chapters on gaps concerning principles of IEL and gaps relating to existing regulatory regimes.

The first substantive session of the Ad Hoc Open Ended Working Group (AHWG) towards a Global Pact for the Environment (A/RES/72/277), convening at the United Nations headquarters in Nairobi, was opened Monday by Co-Chair Amal Mudallali, Lebanon.

A court has ruled that companies must first seek permission from local communities if they plan to mine on their ancestral land. This represents a new achievement in land and mining rights for South Africa.